A wide variety of computerized wagering game machines are now available to casino operators and players. Computerized wagering game machines range from slot machines to games that are traditionally played live, such as poker, blackjack, roulette, etc. These wagering game machines provide many benefits to game owners and players, including increased reliability over mechanical machines, greater game variety, improved sound and animation, and lower overall management cost.
When technicians initially deploy wagering game machines for use in casinos, they typically manually wire the machines into wagering game networks and manually configure numerous settings. For example, the technicians may configure settings such as currency denominations for bill validators, screen resolution for video displays, volume for an audio devices, etc. Technicians often configure gaming machine settings by toggling DIP switches, moving expansion board jumpers, setting various dials and knobs, and paging through complicated set-up menus.
After deploying the wagering game machines into operation, technicians typically expend considerable efforts maintaining and repairing the machines. Technicians often utilize a variety of resources, such as service manuals and schematics, to facilitate the maintenance/repair process. However, despite these resources, even the most experienced technicians have difficulties maintaining and repairing wagering game machines in the field. Additionally, the maintenance/repair process can be complicated by a need for specialized tools and replacement parts.